UPDATE:40 of these participants have entered enough distance to qualify for a challenge woodallion to date.
If you end the month of November lower than the cutoff (aka under the 100k mark) unfortunately you will not qualify for a 100k challenge finisher woodallion 🙁 So…. get moving and get those K’s reported ASAP! We know you’ve done them!
The cutoff for submissions is Monday 12/4. The table below shows what will be sent to the custom laser engraving company on 12/5 (including distances and badges earned!).
We need to get our custom woodallion engraver (Raven Tree Works) the data to print the name and distance customized woodallions — plus the custom badges — so we can get the woodallions to the 100k challenge finishers in a timely manner.
Anyone registered who reaches 100k or higher walking, hiking, or running in November gets a custom Raven Challenge Woodallion suitable for display — and even suitable to hang on holiday decorations!
FINAL TALLY will be made 12/4/23 with the badge claims and distances you and other challenge participants have reported.
If you need the link to claim your badges, click here. If you have new badges to claim, you can submit the form as many times as needed and we will “super score” your badge claims (i.e. once you claim a badge you don’t need to claim it again on a subsequent form submission — but it doesn’t hurt to claim it again if you can’t remember!).
Submit your badge achievements/photos/other claims here: https://ravenrocksrun.org/raven-100k-challenge-badge-submission-form/ — you should use this form more than once to update us. If you submit more than once we will “superscore” to keep track of ALL of your badge achievements.
Last Sunday was a chilly day to start, with frost on the ground at 6am as your volunteers arrived for the race day setup. Luckily it was sunny and that took the edge off as the sun got higher in the sky. Plus the roaring fire pit helped keep the chill at bay until race start.
We had 246 runners finish on Sunday – backed by a team of around 40 race volunteers including registration and t-shirt table help, kitchen/food setup, course checkers, timing volunteers, photographers, the utility team, and more. We also could not have put on the race without the help of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation staff — and their fearless leader, Jeff Main. We want to thank the County of Westchester Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation for hosting us at the park. The Lewisboro Volunteer Ambulance Corps came to the race to be on standby to help in case of injury.
The race supports the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Participants are given the opportunity to join the friends group during registration, and nearly 90 of you took advantage. [You can STILL JOIN the friends group via this link: https://runsignup.com/Race/Donate/NY/CrossRiver/RavenRocksRun] Membership is at any dollar level. The most popular level is the $100 “Wood Turtle” level which gets the member a year long parking pass for the Rez. We raised over $5,600 for the friends group through the membership program on the registration website this year. Thank you Raven Runners, Hikers, and Walkers!
Musical Guests
We also had the two-man band of Casey Stanford (Guitar) and Layne Krulik (Drums) rocking mile 5.5 at Pell Hill in the meadow. Runners heard Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and many other rockin’ tunes as they headed downhill towards the finish around 3/4 mile away. Casey and Layne are 6th graders at John Jay Middle School. Thanks for braving the cold morning – and thanks to their roadies for getting them there! We hope they will come back for a return engagement in the spring and fall!
The Pell Hill Band: Casey Stanford (Guitar) and Layne Krulik (Drums)
Cobweb Crew
The Cobweb Crew – early morning volunteers! Many pre-ran the 10k course – and some of these folks also were sweeps.
The Cobweb Crew is a group of runners that go out well before the race and run the course to check that the markings are still there and everything is set for the race. We are confident in our trail course setting ability, but the whims of four legged (and two legged) creatures can lead to unexpected new paths. So we rely on the cobweb crew for this vital service which helps to keep all raven runners and hikers on course.
Race Highlights
The race had two repeat winners this year: Lindsay Felling (50:36) and Eamonn Sullivan (45:01). Both runners set new Raven Rocks course records! It was Lindsay’s 4th overall win at Raven Rocks and Eamonn’s second win.
Lindsay Felling at Raven Rocks (photo by Carl van der Zandt)Eamonn Sullivan at Michigan Road meadow (photo by Rob Cummings)
The youngest finishers were a pair of 8-year olds running the race for the first time: Christian Piddington and Wyatt Nable.
The two youngest runners (8 years old each) running along the Raven Rocks trail overlooking the Stone River Ravine in Pound Ridge (Runners are Christian Piddington (8), Julie Piddington, Wyatt Nable (8), and David Nable. (photo by Carl van der Zandt)
All in all a very fun and energetic Sunday. Thank you to all who came, ran, helped, and watched. A great day all around!
….Rob
Photo Gallery for 2023 (and prior years!)
We have a group of volunteer photographers(thank you Carol, Griffin, Carl, and Justin!) who came out to the race to help document the event. Their 2023 photos are available on our permanent gallery website here: https://leathermansloop.smugmug.com/Raven-Rocks-Run/2023
[These were the prepared remarks for the pre-race announcements for 2023. I shortened them a bit for the runners sake due to the cold temps. Here is the unshortened version for your warm inside reading pleasure.]
Thank you for coming to the 8th annual Raven Rocks Run! Welcome to Ward Pound Ridge Reservation! Before we get going onto the course, I have a few items to cover briefly. I am Rob Cummings, race director for the Raven Rocks Run.
No birthdays today??? How about yesterday? Tomorrow?
IMPORTANT — LAYERS. If you have layers on now and you get to the campground (about 1 mile in) and you want to leave your outer layer, we will have volunteers collecting them in bins and returning them to the finish area for you to pick up at the end of your race.
Start taking your layers off at the sand hill. We will be waiting at the bottom of the meadow to collect them.
THE COURSE. The course carries hazards. The leaves can hide some obstacles like roots and rocks. Tread carefully. The course has dried out over the past few days but there are still some muddy spots.
We did some course “grooming” over the past two weeks. Much of it seems to have survived. But rocks, leaves, roots, and other hazards are always a natural part of the trail. Take care and take those rocky downhills slowly. The uphills you can go fast on.
Course markings are pink flags, pink ribbon. Pre-run by Lee, Peeter, Jacob, Scott, Alix, Greg, Steve, Madie, Brett, and other Sunday Runners. I am quite sure they scared the coyotes and bears away.
SWEEPS. Sweeps will be following along behind the runners. If you can’t continue, stay on the course and the sweeps will catch up to you and send for help if you need it. They have cell phones, sweep maps, and LVAC contact info.
After runners finish we will have awards near the tent. Please stick around — you may go home with a prize!
THANK YOUS…. PAST BIB #1s – ALL BUT ONE ARE HERE?
2015 — Ciorsdan thank you for helping with the whole event. Always #1 in my heart. I love you babe!
2016 — Tony and Judy Godino – hiking the course today? Reverse direction?
2017 — Charlie Vaccaro. Mr. Trail Mix – up from Florida for this event.
2018 — My parents John and Patricia Cummings – could not be here today but cheering you all on from their home!
2019 — Lee Willett – SundayRuns.org keeper of the maps, the compass, and the plan.
2021 — Jeff Main, superintendant of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Without his guidance and support, the race does not happen. Jeff is a quiet leader and has a deep history with this park and the Westchester County Park system.
2022 – Ed Dee, who won Raven Rocks Run 2021. An always-enthusiastic regular in the sunday runner crew. Ed loves the trails.
2023 — Eamonn Sullivan, won this race last year. He keeps getting faster!
THE Trail Mix race directors: Eric, David, Brant, Megan, and Nancy. (Almost all races in series represented here?). Each year it keeps getting better — I will update the Trail Mix website with the 2023 results. If you don’t know what the Trail Mix Series is, check out trailmixseries.org.
Youngest Registered Runners:
M – Wyatt Nable & Christian Piddington (8)
F – Julia Scheffler (16)
Highly experienced Runners:
M – Ed Moore, John Kiselak, Murray Rosenblith, James McEvoy.
F – Patricia Richards
Leatherman’s Loop – returns in 2024 — For the 36th year — on April 28, 2024. Big Things Planned! Loop Lottery is January 5th-8th – check leathermansloop.org for details.
Final Thank Yous & Acknowledgments:
Tony and Judy Godino – El Copadre & Comadre “the godfather and godmother” of the East Coast trail racing scene. I wouldn’t be here without their work and enthusiasm. If you look at the roots of the eastern trail races, many trace their roots back to their events from the 1980s.
Sunday Runners, many are volunteers here. Thanks for keeping the trails well traveled!
Parks department – Jeff, Chase, Mike, Michael, Jake, Bobby, and the rest of the crew who are so supportive of what we do.
Tom Cohn – THE driving force behind the newly energized “bring back the fire tower” effort. Big supporter of this race and runners.
Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation – Thank for your support of the Museum and Park!
Cecilia Soprano – amichiart.com – designed the t-shirt. And she designed the 2018-2022 shirts as well as all of the Run the Farm shirts since 2014.
LVAC – Volunteers all of them. What a great group of community members. They will take care of you if you should need it. Hopefully you meet them after you have crossed the finish line and are having a bagel & coffee.
PRVFD – All volunteers as well. If you get into trouble on the course they are ready to help.
Race volunteers – CORAL COLORED t-shirts – thanks to them we get to have a race!
OK, now for the start! (JIM – is the timer ready?)
Introduce Todd Henrich – Pinhoti 100 mile trail race finisher last week (in Alabama) who will do the starting honors and give me 30 seconds to get into position at about 100 meters downfield to photograph this magnificent crowd.
Our photographers do a great job! Today Carol, Carl, and Rob took photos and video — plus thanks to all of the runners who will be submitting photos – thank you in advance!(<–hint: upload yours to this album!)
There is Last Minute Online Registration available until this evening if you are deciding late to run – sign up now and make tomorrow morning easier for yourself!
THERE WILL BE SAME DAY REGISTRATION AT THE PARK TOMORROW! If you haven’t signed up yet but want to run – come early. Day of race registration opens at 7:30am.
Note: if you are running tomorrow and want to have an extra layer for the start but then want to peel it off (after that first big hill when you are warmed up!), we will have volunteers at Michigan Road (1 mile into the course, up the first big hill) who can collect your outer layers in a bin and will return them to the finish line area near the tent and fire put for you to pick up after you finish.
The course is the same as 2022 — barring any downed trees overnight! It is already “lightly marked” and the full and final marking will take place today.
There is a water stop at the 4 mile mark at the top of the Fire Tower climb (the highest spot on the course).
Here are some tips that will help you on race morning:
1.) ARRIVE EARLY! The race is set to start at 9am. Bib pickup (and shirt pickup if ordered) begins at 7am on racemorning. Look for the tent in the Meadow Parking lot. Please plan to arrive at the park by 8:15am — or even earlier if you can swing it.
The regular $10 park entry fee is already incorporated as part of the Raven Rocks entry fee so there is no need to stop and pay at the entry booth. Park employees will direct you on parking as you arrive.
If the main meadow lot should fill up, we may need to use our backup lot near the entrance to the park. This would mean about 1/4 mile walk for runners arriving late. Another good reason to be early!
2.) DRIVE SLOWLY in the Park! Pay close attention to the staff and volunteers who are directing the parking. Car pool if you can – this helps the environment – and it makes the race more fun! For a helpful overview of the race location (parking, start, bib pickup), check the logistics page of the website here.
3.) LISTEN ATTENTIVELY TO PRE-RACE ANNOUNCEMENTS! Your Race Director will have important information about the course and safety. You will be instructed about potential hazards on the course and current course conditions.
4.) LISTEN FOR THE START! Following the instructions, we will start the runners.
5.) STAY ON COURSE IF YOU CAN’T CONTINUE! There will be a number of “sweeps” running the course following the slower runners. If for any reason you can’t continue, wait for them to get to you to assess your needs. The park is over 4,300 acres so don’t leave the course unless you know exactly where you are going.
6.) SAME DAY REGISTRATION – If we hit the cap before next weekend, we will not have this available. Online registration is open! 😉If you or a friend are looking to run the race, sign up ASAP before we reach the cap!
7.) RESULTS: Printed lists of finishers with time and place will be available soon after the finish at the registration area and online later in the afternoon on the Raven Rocks Run website. Check it out at http://www.ravenrocksrun.org/results.
8.) THANK A VOLUNTEER! A tremendous amount of volunteer effort goes into making Raven Rocks a special event. T-shirt designers, registration volunteers, pie buyers, course setters, trail wardens, box lifters, water servers, bagel cutters, coffee brewers, parking coordinators, photographers, videographers, course sweeps, and the clean-up crew—not to mention the Pound Ridge, Lewisboro, and Westchester County Police officers and the dedicated members of the Lewisboro Volunteer Ambulance Corps!
We are grateful that we have such a wonderful group of trail running enthusiasts (YOU!) to share this run with. We are also thankful that we have the thousands of acres of parkland at the Rez to enjoy!
Many runners have become members of the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation group during registration – We thank you for joining! This group, which many of you are now members of, is one of the oldest “Friends” groups in the country and it is powered solely by memberships and volunteers.
Remember, leave only footprints, take only pictures, and please send us your photos via upload!
Expect more news shared on Facebook, Twitter, via email, and our website as the event nears…. See you at the race!
Good luck and have fun,
….Rob, Ciorsdan, and the rest of the Raven Rocks Run Volunteers!
*assuming all races are returning for 2024 — which we hope they are*
In addition, we support and attend many other local trail (and a few road) races. Send us some of your favorites for 2024!
(Note: this went out as an email to all registered runners for the 2023 Raven Rocks Run, the 2023 Raven 100k Challenge, as well as past registrants. If you did not receive this via email and you are registered, you may want to check your spam folder and set up ravenrocksrun@gmail.com on your address book/white list. If you have not yet registered and you plan to run – sign up now!)
The Challenge: Walk, hike, or run 100k during the month of November 2023. Distance can be done anywhere, the only requirement is that it be on your feet.
You stay active as the days shorten and the weather cools down.
You can join our Strava Club to track your November progress and share with other challengers.
If you are in the local area of the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, you can check out the Raven Rocks overlook which is on the Raven Rocks 10k Run course (and there are a pair of Ravens who live there that you might see if your timing is right!).
You can earn badges as you unlock the various achievements we have set up.
At the end of the month we tally your totals and send or give you a custom finisher “woodallion” with your name and badges and achievements (see image below) along with your shirt (if purchased).
The 2023 Raven 100k Challenge “woodallion” – The lightly etched outlines will be replaced with physical badge pieces fastened atop as those are earned. So you may have the whole deck filled or just parts. Some of the badges are very difficult to achieve!
Below are the badge images and names from last year and further down are the descriptions of the achievements. We are open to suggestions on adding more badges – especially if you are outside of the local Raven Rocks / Ward Pound Ridge area! Maybe an international badge if you run a Raven related course outside the USA!
Badge descriptions:
– Run 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (raven badge) – Run 5x 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (ultra raven badge) – Run 10x 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (full flock badge) – Take a selfie at the Raven Rocks Overlook and send it in (photographer badge) – Submit a photo of yourself on a run with your “I Voted” sticker (bald eagle badge) or if you can’t vote in the election, next to someone with an “I Voted” sticker. – Submit a photo of you running on Thanksgiving (turkey award) – Photo of a raven anywhere (citizen award) (merged with traveler badge) – Do a run in the dark to Raven Rocks (night owl badge) – Do a run at dawn to Raven Rocks (cobweb crew badge) – 200k distance in November (snowy owl badge) – 300k distance in November (white raven badge) – Read a stanza from Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” poem and send us a link. Use SoundCloud, YouTube, Facebook, or whatever audio service you want. (wise owl badge)
New badges last year include the “Peeter Badge” named for Peeter Muursepp who during 2020’s Raven 100k Challenge did 33 loops of the 10k Raven Rocks course. Get 33 loops or more to earn the badge. Last year Peeter upped the ante with 62 Raven Rocks 10k loops during the month of November. That’s more than 2 per day! If you surpass it with 62 (or more) and the badge name changes to your name. But we think Peeter is safe since that is a huge number. Only 3 people have ever earned this badge.
Jacob Benesch proposed a badge last year for anyone doing 5x Raven Rocks 10k course in one day (50k total). We already have a badge named the Ultra Raven Badge (5x over the course of a month), so we named a new badge called “The Raven Rockstar Badge” which is shown on the sample above.
Let us know if you have any questions about the Raven 100k Challenge for November 2023 – email ravenrocksrun@gmail.com. Thanks!
